1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to coin operated vending machines, and in particular, to vending machines where, by turning a handle, loose product, such as nuts, candy, gum balls, or the like, are dispensed and including a coin containing box or safe that can be locked to retain coins fed therein.
2. Prior Art
Coin operated vending machines that are operated to vend product, such as nuts or candy, gum balls, or the like, dispensed out of a chute are well known. Such machines are found in many locations as are trafficked by the general public. The overall design of such coin vending machines has essentially remained the same over a number of years except as to changes in materials as are used to construct the machine. With many coin operated vending machines now being constructed mostly of plastic. While overall design has essentially remained the same, some changes and improvements have been made to vending machine coin receiving and turning mechanisms, as measured from an early patent to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 1,050,608 for a coin operated vending machine to a more recent patent to Bolen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,986. Also, arrangements for setting and controlling a volume of product dispensed with each handle turn, are shown, as for example, in a patent to Brown U.S. Pat. No. 1,050,608 and in patents to Antoine, U.S. Pat. No. 1,627,547, to Angell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,853,172, and in a recent patent to Voegeli, U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,081. Further, a U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,519 was recently issued to the inventor for a lock box arrangement for controlling access to a coin containing portion of a vending machine body. The present invention, that also provides a lock box arrangement, improves upon the earlier invention with an inclusion of a liner for both containing coins deposited into the machine, and to prohibit such collected coins from being shaken therefrom. The invention, by its construction, also facilitates emptying coins therefrom and precludes coins from "hanging up" therein.
The combination of the locking coin safe and the liner arrangement of the present invention is useful for new manufacture and as an addition to a number of currently marketed designs of coin operated vending machines. Unique from earlier machines, the present invention provides a liner that is maintained, under a locking plate fitted over the coin receiving portion of the vending machine body, and is arranged to prohibit coins from being shaken from the body. With, after unlocking of the locking plate off from the coin receiving portion, the liner of the invention to facilitate the contained coins being poured out therefrom, rapidly and reliably emptying a vending machine of coins as have been collected.